Gun Control

Parent groups, teachers across the country and the President of the United States are demanding gun control.

I suggest that gun control in itself is not enough to solve the problem of mass murders.

If you walk down the main street of any city in Israel, you will notice young soldiers about 18 to 20 years old carrying rifles. Many soldiers, both male and female, all carrying guns. It’s necessary for self-defense in fighting terrorism.

In spite of the availability of arms in Israel, indeed of their prevalence, there are no mass murders.

I suggest that what contributes to the prevalence of shootings in America is our legacy of the Wild West. That legacy depicts and glorifies the use of guns in films and television programs.

Of course, there are also the police procedurals, the gangster films, dramas labeled as cinema noir and the cinematic glimpses of social reality in which teenagers resort to violence and killing sprees.

Violence in movies and TV programs numbs us to the sight of death and murder. It also stirs up images and ideas for those of us who are mentally impaired or conscience deficient.

Those with mental problems and with low creativity scores are fed with fantasies of glory they do not have in their real life. It is not surprising that some of the killers wear battle gear in the real life killing sprees. That appears to be the style depicted in films and television. The idea did not magically appear out of thin air…It is not only that art imitates life. Life imitates art too.

We have a Wild West legacy to start with. Add to it the TV programming and the movie industry productions that capitalize on this legacy in order to maximize profitability and you get a culture of violence that is growing, not declining.

What to do?

We should control the possession of guns, even though it per se will not solve the problem. It is needed to arrest the problem; it might prevent some murders to occur because it will be more difficult to get the guns. But to solve the problem, we must address the cause: We need to outlaw violence in movies and television. Delegitimize it. Cease making it heroic. Make it despicable.

Here is an analogy: a swamp that breeds mosquitoes that carry malaria. Killing as many mosquitoes as possible will not solve the problem. Drying up the swamp would. But that takes time. In the meantime stop the mosquitoes from proliferating.

Same here: to change the culture will take time. In the meantime have gun control as a symptomatic relief.

Is that it then?

Unfortunately no.

Apparently we can not do either: controlling the guns requires changing the constitutional amendment that makes bearing arms a right of every citizen; outlawing violence in entertainment requires changing the constitutional amendment of free speech.

Will there be a political will to change the constitution?
It is a double whammy. Two constitutional amendments. The compounded probability that it will happen is in my estimate-approaching zero.

All the chest beating and hair pulling or gun controls will not do much unless the causes are dealt with and the constitution is changed. Which I am afraid is improbable.

It’s not only TV and Cinemas. For children it is games as well. Look at the amount of violence in the interactive games. I’ve shouted hundred times on my children when I find them playing such nasty games.

To carry guns is a sign of felt danger not of confidence. Danger provokes conflict, confidence creates peace.. ‘That all carry guns and enhance the global feeling of threat does not cool down the general athmosphere which becomes so tense that in some psychologically weak person the nervous system breaks down and they release the tension for all the country by killing others. .. We have to release the fear and tension in the world by a general atmosphere of love, understanding and forgiveness which we much feed, feed. If Israel would realize that palestinians have lived there rightfuly always and that love does not stop at their own nationality but that all are humans and therefore do not possess anything for themselves but have to share. No more guns necessary.

Action movies do not promote killing children or innocent people.
Most of the time, like in James Bond recent movie, it is good guys against bad guys. And bad guys mostly die and the good guys are heros and win.

Thus in my opinion, we are missing finding out where is such rage coming from,
and why is it directed against innocent children and fellow students?

The first amendment protects the movie and TV people. What doesn’t protect them is money, revenue! Similar with the internet, which is far more violent than the movies. One would think that parents would interject some restrictions and prohibitions, however, we have at least one and perhaps two generations of parents who have been equally weaned on this violence. Is not this mass murder culture merely another act of “terrorism”? And how does Israel fight it? Could the answer lie in an armed militia at every public gathering and school? Yes, keep the guns, but every movie theatre and stadium will have scanners, like the airports, and armed militia will be present in and outside the event. The Dodger Stadium event two Springs ago would not have occurred were such procedures in place.

Changing the culture can be done by requiring any movie or internet production to have at 10 sec. intervals a message such as this: “This product reflects extreme violence which is not in concert with our values. Viewing it may be dangerous to your health and personal well being.” (Just like cigarettes!) It took two generations to relegate smoking to be socially unacceptable. Let’s start NOW!! Perhaps our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will live in a more civil society!!

Dr. Adizes,
I enjoy reading and hearing your insights immensely. However, I almost stopped reading this posting about half way through because it started to sound like the same idealistic approach to the problem that is being proposed by the “fasionably enlightened” element of our population. I so glad I didn’t because I was rewarded through my appreciation of the soundness of your reasoning and the logic of your conclusion. Thank you.
Pasquale R. Iannuzzi

Dr. Adizes – You’re right. The US glorifies violence and guns, not just in our media though, but also in our military spending and policies. However, I think it is more fundamental than that. The US was founded on the idea of freedom (Freedom!!!). No matter what other value systems are emphasized or developed in this country, there is always a strong undercurrent of Red. Many Americans still love to think of themselves as rugged individualists, pioneers and yes, cowboys. Slogans like “From my cold dead hands!” sound very Red to me. Still, I don’t think anyone wants to give up the freedom meme in the US. Maybe “liberty” and “liberation” are more advanced versions of it, but freedon is what we really want. As a born and bred American, even though I think freedom has the unindended consequence of bringing violence where it doesn’t belong, even I don’t want to give up the freedom ideal. I’ve been conditioned to believe in the romantic notion of America as the Beacon of Freedom for the whole world. Can we ever give up that identity? Right now, I’m reading your book, Mastering Change. (I just joined your graduate school.) It seems Administration is not the answer to guns; more Integration might be. Are Americans too individualistic to integrate? Maybe.

Dr. Adizes, agreed on your comments, I would add “THE LACK OF VALUES” is killing the US, nobody really cares about this anymore, it’s just a government trying to make more money, impose to the weak and continue with the world dominance, but the values, where are those at?

Maybe you do not need to change constitutional amendment, you can categorize material containing violence as incitement to murder and violence and ban it like this or you can heavily tax it without being in collision with constitution.

Israel chooses to not make peace with the Palestinians, and chooses to continue its policy of ethnic cleansing. Aadvancing through East Jeruselem and the West Bank of the Jordan River to Isolate the Palestinians and obtains the fertile valley.

Israel is now advocating a one state solution, and that Jordan is the Palestinian state! Maybe through this Israel may become a true democracy, and not a theocraacy!

Palestinians are only defending their land.

This is why Israel is the state of conflict and turmoil and its citizens must carry guns. Theocracy and Apartheid have no place on this planet.

Do not compare America to Israel.

America strives to be on a course to a higher and more sophisticated society that resolves conflict with dialogue and compromise, and knows to use force only with restraint.

I appreciate hunting and I believe gun sportsmanship has its place, but not in a city where I live.

I always say my hunting is done with a 35mm.

Also, having guns in schools is what conservatives want. Guns in schools is a threat to progressive critacal thinking that conservatives in Texas want to ban. Guns in schools is another way of doing it.

Again, when I was in school I was a wild child. I had physical fights with teachers. I was crazy enough to grab that teachers gun if he had carried one at that time. Or I would find it a challenge to brake into the teachers’ desk draw to grab it.

To chime in with Julia, I’d say we need more blue/green in American culture (from SDi). That is, humanism tempered by rules and moderation. The red and orange seem well developed, and green alone cannot save the situation.
Carlos’s comment on “lack of values” approaches the point. America has become a consumer culture where everyone is taught they are special without having to prove it, and that they should be allowed to have the American Dream just because they are alive. The value has become monetized, something to find OUTSIDE of oneself, and maybe taken by force if necessary.
On the one hand, it is good to teach people that they are important as human beings. On the other, it can create a very selfish mindset when nothing is expected in return.
I do not advise changing the constitution to prohibit free speech, nor will changing the second amendment do much more than work as a temporary measure.
Somehow, people need to feel a sense of purpose that is bigger than themselves, to have opportunities to work towards a goal. How to do this in am imperfect world is another question altogether.
I seem to remember the days when they actually enforced the law that you had to be 17 years or older to see a rated R movie. It was understood that if a movie was rated that way, the content was intended for a mature audience who had already formed much of their personal identity (as opposed to impressionable youth). Now every movie seems to be Rated R and no one cares. Parents take their 3-year-old children to movies that make even me cringe. I’ve watched some children cry and become frightened, and the parents shush them like it’s nothing – really disturbing.
I don’t think violence in the media MAKES otherwise good people do bad things, but maybe desensitization doesn’t allow people to realize when something is very bad, until it’s too late and time to suffer the consequences.

To Larry Berardi
To call Israel Apartheid state is huge injustice to victims of Apartheid in South Africa. Victims of South African Apartheid would be very happy if they had (equal) rights as Arabs in Israel enjoy. You are not aware of simple fact that all Israeli parties in coming Khnesseth are for two state solution while Palestinians are those that denies Israel’s right to exist. You claimed that “Palestinians are only defending their land”. Let me know you that there were never been any Arab sovereignty and entity in any part of Territory west of Jordan river. Palestinian nation is mentioned first time in history in 1974 in speech of Cairo born Yasser Arafat. 160 years ago in there were about 400000 Sunnites, Jews, Christians, Shiats, Druzs, Bedouins, Islamized Serbs from Bosnia and Sandzak and Moslems from Sudan. After Jews developed economy Arabs from Jordan, Egypt (including Cairo born Yasser Arafat), Syria, Libya, Lebanon and Iraq started to immigrate and now they are demanding land that Jews developed and build. Even more, Arabs murdered Jews of 500 year old Jewish community of Chevron in 1929 and in 1948 murdered Jews in Goosh Etziyon and now they claim those lands. Only person without any moral values can support these claims of Islamic clerofashisam and expansionism. Jews return and build their country from where they were forced to leave, Jews were also recognized citizens and entity of Turkish empire witch ruled territory of today’s Israel and after dismantle of Ottoman Empire Jews also had right for building their homeland as other nations of former Ottoman Empire. This right was approved by Balfour declaration, San Remo conference and decision of League of Nations.
If you claim that Israel is making ethnic cleansing it is upon to you to show even one example of it, meanwhile, the only ethnic cleansing was when expulsion of Jews from Gaza Strip in 2005.
You wrote: “Theocracy and Apartheid have no place on this planet.” Let me tell you that in Palestinian Authority and Gaza Strip Non-moslims are persecuted and Jews can not posses there land and if one sells lend to Jews according to law in Palestinian Authority he is liable death penalty. So, according to your statement their is no place for Palestinian Authority and Hamas on this planet.

Dershowitz – I have always admired his ability to argue the facts. In this case the facts are so obvious they scream out at us. Clearly the UN and other countries want Israel out of the way. This is not new and it is, at its root Evil in intent! If political negotiation could fix it, it would have been fixed long ago.

To use corporate language, an organization’s people reflect their leaders and their values..so those who hate are a reflection of the leader. His name in Scripture is Satan. He is real and he is a destroyer and will ultimately be destroyed but that is a discussion for another time.

Persecution of Jews and Christians is on the upswing. Many people are unaware that just for being a Christ follower, scores of them were beheaded, burned and boiled well before the 20th century (Foxe’s book of Martyrs – 600 pages!)

Jews and Christians are thought of today as problems, so it is popular to make fun of them. I do not mean to equate these groups on every historical or contemporary dimension but to simply point out that we who practice what God has instructed and stand for justice, love and peace will have opposition and we will be challenged to dig our heels in deeper.

The videos are expressions of evil and evil is against God and all who love God.

Thank you Dr. Adizes for the courage to raise the UN / Israel debate in a forum like this. I live and was born in South Africa to a middle class white family in a Jewish neighbourhood south of Johannesburg. I was conscripted to go the army. Against this background my worldview was set. As I was leaving the army a friend gave me a book written by Dr Martin Luther King called ‘Strength to Love’ this was the 1st real challenge to my norms and values relating to politics, humanity and true spirituality. I then started working in ‘Townships’ in 1984 and my worldview was further challenged by black teachers who have gone on to become life long friends. Then in 1994 you (Dr Adizes) came to South Africa and you were addressing the media industry in Johannesburg and received a standing ovation. My wife was in the audience and on coming home that night shared all her notes with me and I got tapes on your lecture and that was where I began to hear about constructive and destructive conflict and fostering an environment of true mutual trust and respect. What Israel is facing requires a miracle of proportions that neither the UN or western media can deliver and I trust that your influence on the world and our worldviews continue.

Gun Control – There are two other issues I would like to have debated further which relates to this:
1. The original intent for ‘bearing arms’ was for a free people to through off the yolk of tyranny of an oppressive government. What is the appropriate way to deal with tyranny in 2013? Guns are not working! See the Middle East!

2. A lot of people argue that TV/Movies and XBox Game don’t influence behaviour BUT, will sell advertising on the preface that advertising does influence behaviour.

Palestine is not country or a terretory. It is land where nomadic tribes wandered for centuries and thousands of years that became known as Palestine. A longer time than you state. These tribes represented differing units that include culture, religion, and others.

Yes, this free nomadic lifestyle ended when others from else where wanted to create a country without any understanding of the land.

Obviously our views of history, and rights and wrongs differ. It will take centuries and thousands of years to come of assimilation to nullify and mollify.

To Larry Berardi
First of all, you didn’t relate to any of my claims. I showed to you that vast majority of today’s Palestinians came here in last 200 years. Only nomadic people that was here are Bedouins witch came centuries after People of Israel arose in Today’s Israel and centuries after First Israel’s kingdom was established.
Can you show us any single characteristic that can distinguished Palestinian from other nations, they have no culture or cultural creation, religion, language that can distinguished them from other nations.
They can not claim the state if they can not assure that minorities (Christian and Jews) will be protected and will have equal rights. According to their constitution Shari’a is the base for legislation. This legislation clearly states that Jews can not posses land and if one sells lend to Jews he is liable death penalty. In Palestinian Authority streets and squares are named after terrorists witch murdered innocent people, state run media and schools incite to hate and antisemitism, murderers that stubbed to death children and suckling infants while sleeping are on state pay role. This is clear clerofashistic theocracy that does not deserve to enter family of nations. If you think that such entity can get recognized state then our values do differ and they can be re-conciliate because above things can not be tolerated anyway and in any time.

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Please note:

The insights presented in these blogs are the personal insight of Dr. Ichak Kalderon Adizes and do not necessarily express the opinion or position of the Adizes Institute or its staff individually or as a group.

DISCLAIMER: The insights presented in these blogs are the personal insight of Dr. Ichak Kalderon Adizes and do not necessarily express the opinion or position of the Adizes Institute or its staff individually or as a group.